Control of vehicle driving-wheels.



F. A. BISNER.

CONTROL 0F VEHICLE DRIVING WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 10,1908.

1,026,662.y Patented May 21, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Emmi/Iron M v anomua P.- A. B1sN ER, CONTROL 0F VEHICLE DRIVING WHEELS. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 10,k 1908.

L 1,026,662, PatentedMay 21,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. A. EISNER. vCONTROL 0I' VEHICLE DRIVING WHEELS.

v APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1968. v 1,026,662. Patented May 21, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I'.v A. BISNER. CONTROL oI VEHICLE DRIVING WHEELS.

l APPLIOATION FILED JULY-10, 1908. 21,

1 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE. I

FELIX A. EISNEB, OF ROOHESTERvNIElW-YORK.

CONTROL OF VEHICLE DRIVING-WHEEIiS.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Fl-rmxA. EISNER, of Rochester. inv the county of Monroe and State of New York, lnn-'einvented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllof Vehicle. 'Driving-duels; and I hereby dcelare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-nunlerals` marked thereon.

The present invention relates to the control of vehicle driving' wheels and it has for an object to provide a construction'which 'In4 order to obtain a will permit an equal drivingof wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle or aslower driving of wheels on either side in order to obtain a differential action in turning.

Another object' is vto improve the parts entering into the combination for producing the aboveresults. i

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more :fully described. the novel features being.

pointed out in the claims at.- the end of the. specification. A

In the dran-'ings wherein I have shown the invention embo( ied in a vehicle for traveling on land,A Figure 1 is a plan View of a vehicle body constructed in accordance with my invention: Figs. 1x and 1yV are detail seetional views on lilies .1i-a1 and g/-y Fig. 1 Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sect-ion through one of the front motors, and proximate por-l tions of the front axle and a front wheel; Fig. 3 .shows one of the front motors in vertical section at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through a front motor and the front axle on line a--a Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a Section online b-b Fig. 3'; Fig. 6 is a vertical secf `tion of one of the rear motors; and Fig. 7 isa detail sectional view of a .motor constructed in accordance with this invention, in which an expansible Huid may be em"-A ployed.

In the embodiments shown I employ a wheeledvehicle which may have four wheels 1, preferably Vhaving the; forward ones only. lnounted `to'swing in order to steer the ve- V,hicle and being controlled byl a steeringde- Avice embodyin varms 2 connected by a bar 3A and operate in any suitable manner,` as' by a pull bar 3%' ect driving of all Specication of Letters Patenti the wheels so as to dispense wit-h gearing and other friction lproducing devices, I,

a differential nlovement of the motors on opposite sides of the vehicle in order that the wheels on one side may turn slower than the wheels on the other when turning corners. In this instance this ditferential movement is eilt'ected in the rear wheels by con trolling the motor driving medium with the control of the steering device, while the control of the driving medium tothe motors of the' front wheels is effected with the swinging of the wheels.

It is preferred to employ a. Huid as' the lnotor driving medium and to employ fluid motors. 'lo this end I may m-ount an air conipressor and a reservoirof any suitable construction at 5 on the vehicle and connect it to channels or passages formed in the front and the rear axles and connected to the motors.

The connection between the fluid supply reservoir andthe .two rear motors may be in the form of two pipes and 7 branched from the casing S of a valve. which by a connection 9 communicates with the reservoir. Within the casing 8 is a rotary valve member 10 which in one position permits theconnection t) to supply both pipes 6 andi'l' equal/ly and consequently both rearmotors, in another position permlts 1t to supply lessto pipe and its motor, and in stillA other one will receive its usual supply. The rear axle should of course have separate mf let' passages 11 to lts two motors, but a single passage 12 may be employed as an exhaust for both and connect by pipe 13 with a reversing valve 14 which also has communication with connection 9 whereby fluid may be sent through the exhaust pipe to reverse the direction oftravel of the vehicle.

The front motors are carried with the front spindles 22 which may, as 'before Patent-ed May 21, 1912. Application tiled July 10, 1908. .Serial No. 442,927. i

common to both motors and from thl axle to the motors through communicating pasi sages formed inthe bearings 46 and 49,

preferably in a manner to be described. From the motors the fluid passes to the common passage 16 in the axle by way of passages in the bearings as will be hereinafter set forth, and from the axle to pipe 13, the latter connection permiting a reversal of t-he flow through the front motors with the reverse of the rear motors. The motors preferably employed in this instance, each embody a stator 17 and a rotor 18. The

statorsare mounted preferablyv in the Imanner to be described while the rotors are connected to the wheels as. for instance by clutches such as projections 19 on the inner face of each wheel adapted yto enter notches 2U on the outer face of the rotor, the clutch members being held in engagement by a nut 21 which also serves'to hold the wheel on its spindle 22.V A dust excluding device for the spindle may be arranged between each wheel and its rotor and may consist of an annular flange 22a on the wheel litting within a groove 22b on the rotor about the clutch.

"lhe stators 'are shown in Figs. 1 to 6 each comprising a ring shaped or annular..

member or casing having the outer side of its central opening closed by a wall 24 from which projects a spindle 22, the spindle vbeing detachably secured thereto if desired Vby screw threads 25a. lVithin lthis casing 17 may be formed two substantially annular passages or chambers 25 and 26 arranged side bysideand having fluid admitted and exhausted therefrom preferably in the manner to be described, while project-- ing from the periphery of the stator is a seriesof fixed projections or abutments 27 having their opposite side walls beveled or inclined at 28 and 29 and provided with inlct and exhaust openings 30 and 31 respectively Which communicate respectively with chambers 25 and 26.

The rotors are preferably ofring or annular formation and surround the stator.- Each rotor in this instance is made `hollow and has flanges 32 and 33 projecting inwardly toward the stator and guided on oppositesides thereof at 34 and 35. The tlanges on the rotor inclose the spaces bevelocity so` .frlction on its bearings.'

tween the projections 27 and form fluid chambers 427a between the lstator and t-he f rotor for the movable abutments or piston blades 36 which are'carried by the rotor. In order that it lmay be removed from the stator the rotor is formed in two sections connected by pins 18a. The piston blades 36 in' this instance are mounted toslide through the inner wall of the rotor on radially arrangedv guides 37 and are pressed toward the stator iii any suitable` manner asl by leaf springs 38, the two ends of each of which coperate with two bladesand a pin or bar 39 supports it betweenits ends.

4In operation the pistons travel over and in contact with the periphery. of the. stator and are pressed outwardly by engagement with one inclined face of.a projection 27 andV inwardly by, the springs as the oppof site inclined face is reached. Fluid issuing from one of the chambers 25 and 26, de pending on the direction of rotation of the motor passesfrom the series of openings 30 y and. 31 and strikes the blades as they are passing down the inclines 28 or 29 causing the blades to be carried along the luid chambers 27 until the opening in the incline at the opposite end is reached by the piston, when the fluid exhausts. The pis-v tons are arranged at such a distance apart that as one piston opens an exhaust of one fluid chamber anotherpiston closes the inlet to the same chamber, thus preventing fluid passing directly from the inlet to the exhaust without performin any work.

Instead of a rotary fluid pressure motor as described I may employ an expansion motor* whichmay be constructed as shown in Fig. 7 where the projections 27x have the openingsBOxin their outer ends instead of on their inclined walls 28x and the inner face of the rotor has chambers 27y formed therein on one side of the blades 36. In

this construction an expansible fluid such as air, gasl or steam is employed and when a chamber 275' reaches the opening 30%, the chamber is filled with the compressed fluid -which is then carried to a chamber 27,z

whereit expands between an inclined wall 28X and a blade 3G.

A fluid motor constructed in accordance with this invention has its rotor and its stator concentrically arranged and the fluid acting simultaneously, at4 a plurality lof points about the axis ofthe rotor under pressure as that the rotor turns with little The stator for the rear motors are preferably rigidly connected tothe rear axles and for this purpose may each surround a member formed a pair of radially extending chambers 40 and 41 each of which communicates at its outer end at 42 or 43 with one of the annular chambers, and at its inner end has a v distinguished from speed or with bers 47 and 48 and'v its coperating bearingV member 49 with two chambers or passages a and 41a separated by a wall 5()x and communicating at their inner ends with the channels 47v and 48 by ports or openings and at their outer ends with chambers 25 and 26 respectively. Preferably the hollow bearing portion 49 is formed separately from the stator in order'` that it' may be removed for the purpose of repair. In this instance the stator is provided Wit-li two diametrically opposite tapering seats 50 and 51, the latter opening yat'the circum-V ference of the stator to permit the insertion of the bea-ring 49 which of course .to conform to the seats 50 and 51 is made tapering. This taper of the parts enables me to secure a fluid tight joint, and to secure the bearing in position by two wedge bolts 52 one on each side of the taper bearing 49 (see Figs. 3 and 5) held in opposed grooves in the bearing 49 and seat 51 by nuts 53.

"Ihe outer end of the chamber 41a may beclosed by a screw Aplug 54 whose top lis curved 'to conform to .the exteriorline' of the stator between theprojections in order that the blades. 36 may freely pass thereover. Wear or bearing sleeves /155 are preferably introduced in the sleeve 46. l'

In'order that I may reduce th'ex` fiuidto one of the front 'motors when its wheel swings to the -rear I providethechambers 47 and 48 with lateral or offset pockets 58 (see Fig.: 4)

'which are greater in width than the ports j and f have the latter communicating or registering therewith when the spindles are alined. However, when either .spindle .is swung rearwardly the wall of the bearing sleeve between the pockets partially closes the ports and reduces the supply lof iuid.

This arrangement provides a controller foreach motor operating on the swinging of a spindle in one direction and axially alined with the bearings for the spindle.

The operations of the several parts have been specifically set lfort-h with the descrip tion thereof and therefore it will be neces-v sary at this point to describe only generally the operation of the invention: Compressed f .the steering device is operated to steer the vehicle the fluid to the motors onone or the other side' ofthe vehicle is reduced thereby causing the wheels on that side to rotate slower than` those on the other in turning,

this being-:effected for the rear motors by the valve member 10 and for the front motors by the valves formed bybearings 46 and 49. The reduction of the supply to the motors is proportional to the curve which the wheel is to makc, so that while the driving act-.ion ofthe slower moving motors is reduced, yetV they still act to. drive their wheels to prevent skidding.

A vehicle constructed in accordance with' this invention iscomparatively inexpensive to manufacturea's very little machine work is Irequired, nearly all of the parts being formed by casting. Further the vehicle will run easier as a direct driving is secured thus dispe1ising\vith parts producing friction and at the same time liable to get out of order. While the invention has been shown embodied in a motor vehicle for traveling on land it is apparent that in its broadest aspect it is capable of being embodied in water vehicles and in vehicles for traveling in t-he air.

Vlf'hat I claimis:

l. The combination with a vehicle having driving wheels on opposite sides thereof mounted to swing relatively to the vehicle body, of motors eacli driving one of said wheels, a steering device, and controlling -means for the motors operated by the steering device and adapted to effect the equal driving of the motors when the vehicle is moving straight ahead and an unequal driv. ing of the motors when the vehicle is turning.

2. .'lhe combination with a vehicle havingdriving wheels on opposite sides thereof, of a pair of fluid motors for driving the wheels, a fluid supply connected to both motors, means for controlling. the supply, having one position for effectingthe equal driving of-both motors, anotherposition for effecting the slower driving of one motor, and

still another position for effecting the slower driving of the other motor and steering `mechanism for the vehicle operatively connected to the fluid controlling means.

3. The 4combination with a vehicle having driving wheels on' opposite sides thereof, of a pair of iuid motors for driving the wheels, a fluid supply connected to both motors, and a valve in said connection having one position effecting the equal driving of both motors, and two other posit-ions, each effecting the slower driving-of one motor and a steering ,mechanism for the vehicleoperatively connected to the valve. l." A

4. The combination with a vehicle having' driving wheels on opposite sides thereof, of a pair of-fiuid motors for ,driving'the wheels,-

a fluidv supply connected to both-motors, a

valve in said connection, and a steering device for the vehicle connected to' the valve.' 5. The combinatlonwith a spindle, of "a stator arranged at the inner end of the'same,

a rotor surrounding the stator and held to the latter, and a wheel turning on the spindle and having a connection with the rotor permitting the removal of the ,Wheel from the spindle without removing the rotor..

6. The combination with an axle, of a motor mounted to swing relatively to the axle and comprising a stator and a rotor, a spindle mounted to swing with the stator, and a Wheel turning on the spindle and having connection with the rotor permitting die, a clutch between the rotor and the wheel arranged to permitr the wheel to be separatedfrom the rotor While the latter is l held lto the stator, and adevice for holding the Wheel on the spindle and the lclutch members in engagement.

8. The combination with an axle having a vertically arranged bearing at one end, of a motor comprising a rotor and a stator surrounding the bearing and carrying a vertical bearing cooperating with the -first named bearing, a spindle carried by t-lie stator, and a wheel mounted on the spindle and having ,a connection with the rotor permitting the Wheel to be removed from the spindle without removing the rotor. 9. The combination with a sleeve, of a rotary motor comprising a rotoriand an annular stator surrounding the sleeve, taperlng seats at diametrically opposite points o n-the stato-r, one ofwhich opens at the periphery of the stator, a bearing member extending through the sleeve andr having tapering portions fit-ted to said seats, wedge bolts arranged on opposite sides of the bearing-member to hold it in position, and a spindle carriedvvith the stator.

10.. The combination with an axle having a swingingly mounted spindle at each end, of a motor carried with each spindle, and a controller for each motor operated to vary the speed of its motoren the swinging of its spindle in one direction. y

11. The combination with an axle and a spindle having coperat-ing vertical bearings, of a suitably supported motor, and a controller for varying the speedy of the motor, axially alined with the bearings. v

12.`The combination With an aXle, of la spindle mounted to swing at each end. of the axle, a motor.carried by each Spindle, and a controller for ea'ch motor operated auto-.

. driving 'a Wheel on lmatically to lreduce the supply to its mot-or on the swinging of its spindle to the rear. 13. The combination With an axle having a swingingly mounted spindle, of a. motor carried with ,the spindle, and `a cont-roller lfor the motor operated automatically to vary the Vspeed of the spindle.

14. The combination with an axle carrylthe motor on the swinging ot ing a vertical bearing formed With a fluid circulating passage, of a spindle carrying a coperatin vertical bearing formed with a fluid circu ating passage communicating with the passagelin the bearing of the axle when the spindle is in one position and'partially closed to said passage when the spindle is in another position, and a iiuid motor for the latter and having communication with the circulatingpassages ofthe Vertical bearings.

15. The combination `with a bearing sleeve the spindle carried with formed with an annular passage having pockets odset therefrom, of a spindle ca rrying a 'bea-ring portion fitting the said sleeve and having a chamber formed with ports of less width than thefpockets adapted Vto register with the latter when the spindle is in one position and to be partially closed by the walls between the. pockets when the spindle isin another position, and a motor carried With the spindle and adapted to drive a wheel on the latter and having communication with, the circulating passages of the vertical bearings.

16. The combination with an axle formedv with inlet and exhaust passages, of a bearing sleeve lat each end of the axle having a pair of annular chambers communicating Wi-tli the inlet and the exhaust passages in the axle and having pockets odset therefrom, a'pair of rotary motors each comprising a rotor and a stator, the latter surrounding the bearing sleeve, a bearing member arranged Within the cent-ral opening of each stator, connected to diametricallyopposite points,

communicating with the inlet and the exhaust of a motonat their outer eids :and

provided with openings at their inner ends registering with the pockets'in -one position and partially closed by the portions between the ockets in another position, and a spindle carried with each stator4 and adapted to ,receive a Wheelv t-o be drivenbynajrotor. "f

' 'FELIX A. EISNER.

lVitness'es: L

HAROLD H.' SiMMs,

RUssnLL B.y GRIFFITH.

thereof anda having tvvo chambers iio 

